With the New Year, most people tend to look back at the last year and remember the negatives. We remember the goals we couldn’t accomplish, the pain and disappointment we felt. This time of the year where the skies turn grey, the air chills and the sun is rarely seen, seasonal depression tends to kick in. The peak of the year has gone and the next year seems daunting. Some of us begin to lose hope and motivation. We forget how to smile. We forget our reason for smiling.

At times like these, it is crucial to remember our reasons to smile. If we cannot find any, we have to make some. There are no specific treatment plans to find what makes you smile. It is a process of trial and error. Whether it’s a TV show, sport or books, try as many things as you can. Find that thing that makes you forget how tired you are, how hungry you are. Find what makes you smile and keep with it.

This is not to say become obsessed with the pursuit of passion. Finding ones life’s purpose is not that easy. There will not be one thing that will bring you joy. It is a combination of all the little things in life that makes us smile. Our family, friends and finding a healthy outlet for our emotions. We strive for satisfaction and fulfilment and without them, we tend to feel unhappy. Chasing instant gratification leads to fleeting happiness. It tends to cause moments of regret and dissatisfaction soon after. It is nothing more than temporary relief. Instead, we should seek activities that give us a feeling of prolonged achievement even if it means having to wait for it.

The first step is usually the hardest. When we try new things, we will not be very good at them. Yet, we compare ourselves to those with experience and lose motivation when we are unable to match their level. The frustration that comes with failure is a gut-wrenching feeling that most will go through great lengths to avoid. Some find excuses, others stop trying, but it is those who stick with it that will continue to experience moments of fulfilment that will hook them. We should strive to use these moments to make us stronger, to learn how to get up when we fall. Thus, the next time we get beaten to the ground, we can get up.

The new year is full of opportunities, plant many seeds for prolonged satisfaction and watch them grow. It will be worth the wait. Writing stories has become one of these seeds for me. I hope you find yours.

Comment your reason for smiling.

I hope you enjoyed this one. This was a bit of a different post. Let me know if you prefer these types of posts to my usual ones.

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